From Neglected Wife to CEO’s Obsession novel Chapter 141

“Piggyback me, boss!”

“Huh?”

Did I hear that right?

“If you’re not on my back in one minute, I’ll leave you here as snake food.”

Wait, snake food? Isn’t it usually lions or tigers or maybe a big bad wolf? When did we upgrade to snakes? Are there even snakes out here in the hills behind my boss’s place?

Honestly, I’ve been terrified of anything that slithers since I was a kid.

So, without a second thought, I scrambled right onto Elliot’s back.

Not because I was scared of snakes or anything—I just didn’t want to slow everyone down or mess up the pace of our hike.

At worst, I’d just add this “piggyback favor” to my mental list of debts to repay. What’s one more among so many, right?

I had to admit, riding up the mountain on Elliot’s back actually felt pretty amazing.

The landscape around us was wild and empty, but there was something breathtaking about it. It made me want to paint, just to capture the feeling.

Elliot’s back was broad and steady, and there was this faint, woodsy scent of pine needles in the air. Resting against him, I felt completely safe.

His heartbeat thudded strong and steady beneath me, and I could almost hear the rush of blood through his veins.

It made me think of Remy.

The first winter after we got married, Cindy came down with a terrible fever. I was so worried, I ran out to buy medicine for her myself.

I wanted him—wanted to let him take me over completely. He wanted it too, wanted to lose himself in me.

But right before we lost ourselves, his whole body went rigid, like he’d turned to stone. The heat between us vanished in an instant.

His eyes were filled with pain and struggle, bloodshot and desperate. It was like he was fighting something inside himself and losing. In the end, he just rolled away, staring up at the ceiling, gasping for air, unable to calm down.

Later, he apologized, his voice thick with guilt. He told me he wanted me—really wanted me—but he just couldn’t do it, no matter how hard he tried.

He got up, pulled on a shirt, and spent half the night smoking on the balcony.

I picked up my clothes in silence, putting them back on one by one, left alone to face the cold, empty night and a hurt I had no idea how to share.

The next year, Remy and I went with Marissa to the hospital for a follow-up appointment. That’s when we ran straight into a medical protest.